Northern Ireland Office

Integrated Schools: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they remain committed to the Fresh Start Agreement funding programme.

Lord Caine: The UK Government remains committed to the Fresh Start Agreement and we will continue to invest and support educational integration in Northern Ireland as an essential aspect of reconciliation.The Fresh Start agreement in 2015 made provision for funding for integrated and shared education over 10 years. As that funding was due to expire at the end of 2024-25, the decision to remove the ring-fence on £150m of Fresh Start Agreement funding was made by the UK Government on taking a coherent look across its existing funding in Northern Ireland. We came to a considered position in response to the challenging budgetary position faced by the Northern Ireland Executive.This will enable the Executive to prioritise funding on public service transformation. Integrated education is a vital element of that.

Integrated Schools: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government why money allocated to Fresh Start Agreement funding has been repurposed to the general Northern Ireland budget.

Lord Caine: The UK Government is providing the Executive with a significant £3.3 billion spending settlement to stabilise its finances and protect public services. Within this package, we are increasing the spending power of the Executive by repurposing over £700 million of existing and new UK Government funds.The Fresh Start agreement in 2015 made provision for funding for integrated and shared education over 10 years. As that funding was due to expire at the end of 2024-25, the decision to remove the ring-fence on £150m of Fresh Start Agreement funding was made by the UK Government on taking a coherent look across its existing funding in Northern Ireland. We came to a considered position in response to the challenging budgetary position faced by the Northern Ireland Executive.The Northern Ireland Executive will be able to decide how it uses the non-ring fenced funding element of reprioritised and new UK Government funding streams which contribute to the settlement package.In line with commitments in the Belfast Agreement, the Government will continue to invest in and support educational integration in Northern Ireland as an essential aspect of reconciliation.

Northern Ireland Government

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make cross-community consent mandatory in all Stormont decisions.

Lord Caine: The principle of cross-community consent applies to matters for which the Northern Ireland Assembly is responsible. Trade is not one of those matters. This approach is entirely compatible with the Belfast Agreement.We remain fully committed to the Agreement which ensures that the future of Northern Ireland is decided by the democratically expressed wishes of the people of Northern Ireland and reaffirms our commitment to the principle of consent.

Department of Health and Social Care

Care Workers: Migrant Workers

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely impact on numbers of carers and senior carers in healthcare in the UK as a result of changes to immigration rules preventing their dependents from moving to the UK.

Lord Markham: The Home Office has published estimates of the impact these changes might have on the number of people applying to work in the sector from outside the United Kingdom. A copy of these estimates is attached.Legal+Migration+Statement+4th+December+2023 (pdf, 414.1KB)

Dental Services: Contracts

Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform NHS dental contracts to ensure that they prioritise prevention.

Lord Markham: From 1 April 2023, the responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. This included the transfer of all funding, Units of Dental Activity, and the management responsibility for National Health Service dentistry.The current NHS dental contract already requires dental services to provide preventative care and treatment. To support dentists with this, NHS England and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities have produced a comprehensive toolkit for dentists, providing evidence-based interventions and advice on how dental health professionals can improve and maintain their patient’s oral health. This guidance is available on the GOV.UK website, in an online-only format.As set out in Our plan to recover and reform NHS dentistry, we are working on further reforms to the 2006 contract, in discussion with the dental profession, to properly reflect the care needed by different patients, and more fairly remunerate practices. We expect to develop options for consultation with the dental profession in advance of a further announcement later this year. Any changes would be phased in from 2025 onwards. The plan also includes a range of measures which will prevent poor oral health, particularly in the youngest children, including dental teams providing preventative advice and treatment to reception-age children in the most under-served areas, and a new Smile for Life programme which will provide education and advice for nurseries and other early years settings.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

South Africa: Foreign Relations

Lord Pannick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the United Kingdom’s relationship with South Africa, in light of the increasingly close links which that country has formed with Russia and with Iran.

Lord Benyon: We encourage South Africa to use their available channels, including the BRICS and their G20 Presidency preparations, to urge Russia to end its unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine and to make clear to Iran that Hamas has no role in a long-term political solution which delivers security for both Palestine and Israel.

South Africa: Hamas

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of South Africa's relationship with the proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas, and the statements of support for Hamas by former ANC minister Ronnie Kasrils.

Lord Benyon: We are clear with South Africa that Hamas are a proscribed terrorist organisation by the UK. Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas in line with International Humanitarian Law, as we have said from the outset. The vital elements for a lasting peace include the release of all hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package; removing Hamas's capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.

Horn of Africa: Piracy

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent increase in piracy off the Horn of Africa.

Lord Benyon: While the causes of recent maritime incidents in the Horn of Africa are unclear, the UK continues to monitor the situation in the region closely. We are committed to promoting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, including the safe flow of maritime traffic. The UK works closely with allies and regional partners through the Djibouti code of conduct and bi-laterally to build capacity, strength and resilience to ensure maritime security and freedoms for all. The UK will continue to engage in maritime security operations, including through the Royal Navy's longstanding Operation Kipion.

Development Aid

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask His Majesty's Government how they differentiate their approach in the delivery of aid between (1) low income, and (2) lower-middle income, countries

Lord Benyon: The White Paper on International Development sets out how the UK will target aid where it is most needed and most effective. We will prioritise grant resources to the lowest income countries and communities and aim to spend 50 per cent of our bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). LDCs includes many low-income and lower-middle income countries. They are the least able to finance their development through taxes, borrowing or investment, and most of the world's poorest people live in LDCs which are either fragile, conflict-affected or vulnerable to climate change. This focus on LDCs will inform all our ODA spending.We expect to spend less ODA in contexts where other sources of finance are available and will draw on ODA only as necessary in our partnerships with middle-income countries (MICs). We recognise MICs are a broad and variable group and their status masks pockets of extreme poverty and inequality, as well as acute humanitarian needs. ODA can be used in a targeted way to support their objectives and our shared priorities.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their white paperHigh Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age, published on 27 April 2023, what steps they have taken to create a Government working group, due to commence in summer 2023, to "strengthen informational messaging including on the risks associated with gambling".

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Policy Research Unit in the National Institute for Health and Care Research has been commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care to undertake a project using the best available evidence, theory, and collaboration with interested parties including different population groups to develop recommendations for (a) where, what, how, and for whom messaging is best used; (b) message design (content); and (c) delivery strategy (channels of communication). Further details of the project can be found on the institute’s website.This project will report shortly and will be an invaluable contribution to ensuring that the messaging we develop is evidence-led, effectively targeted, and appropriately delivered.

Casement Park: Regeneration

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government what financial commitments they have made towards the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland is responsible for the procurement process for the redevelopment of Casement Park. Funding decisions are therefore for the Northern Ireland Executive to consider.His Majesty’s Government is working closely with partners in Northern Ireland to make sure that EURO 2028 leaves a lasting legacy across the whole United Kingdom.

Public Statues: Trafalgar Square

Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Mayor of Londonconcerning proposals for a statue for the spare plinth in Trafalgar Square.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: HM Government has had no discussions with the Mayor of London concerning proposals for a statue for the spare plinth in Trafalgar Square.

Public Libraries: Finance

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any,to protect spending on public libraries.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service which meets local needs. It is for each local authority to consider how best to deliver this.His Majesty’s Government has provided an additional £600 million on top of the £64 billion Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 — an increase of 7.5% in cash terms. This uplift will help to reduce pressure on councils’ budgets, and protect services including public libraries.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Affordable Housing and Holiday Accommodation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to balance the availability of affordable housing with the need to support the tourist economy, particularly in areas reliant on short-term property rentals.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: We have announced a short-term let use class which will apply to properties that are not someone's sole or main home. Existing short-term lets will be reclassified to the new use class. Permitted development rights will allow properties to change use from a short-term let to a dwellinghouse and vice versa. Where there is an issue, the local planning authority may remove this right and require a planning application where in future a dwellinghouse seeks to become a short-term let.Short-terms lets rules (pdf, 202.2KB)

Home Office

India: Fraud

Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of India about the large-scale online organisations identified by the BBC's Scam Interceptors programme, which seek to defraud UK internet users and which operate out of Kolkata.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: We are developing stronger partnerships with countries across the world to build the global response to this vile threat and tackle fraudsters wherever they are based. We are hosting the inaugural Global Fraud Summit in March, which will convene key allies to spearhead a coordinated diplomatic and law enforcement approach to tackling fraud internationally.We are also engaging with the Government of India directly to see what more can be done, including on law enforcement collaboration and sharing best practice on fraud prevention.

Immigration Controls: Health Services

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government how many people currently working in healthcare provision who fall under Standard Occupational Code (SOC) 6145, or senior carers who fall under SOC 6146, are migrant workers who would fall under the ambit of new restrictions preventing their dependents moving to the UK.

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they had with devolved administrations before they proposed new immigration rules preventing carers and senior carers from bringing their dependents to the UK.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: As the Home Secretary outlined on 4 December 2023, a care worker or senior care worker issued with a visa prior to the net migration measures coming into force on 11 March would not be restricted from bringing dependents to the UK.Details of the net migration measures announced in December, are available here: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/reducing-net-migration-factsheet-december-2023/. As outlined by the Home Secretary on 4th December, visas issued prior to the changes are not impacted.Immigration is a reserved matter. In general, the Government engages regularly with the devolved administrations through advisory groups when developing all its policies.

Asylum: Rwanda

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the effect ofthe Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will be to disapply the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in Northern Ireland.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will apply in full in Northern Ireland in the same way it does in the rest of the UK. This is set out on the face of the Bill, reflecting that immigration policy is a UK-wide matter. The Charter of Fundamental Rights does not form part of domestic law anywhere in the UK, including Northern Ireland. The published factsheet on this Bill has been updated to reflect the government position on the Bill in Northern Ireland: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: factsheet - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Frontex: Immigration Controls

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that the UK has nearly reached a cooperation agreement with the EU's border protection agency, Frontex, whether they have any plans to make legislative or regulatory changes relating to illegal migration as a result of that agreement.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Government currently has no plans to make legislative or regulatory changes as a result of the working arrangement with Frontex. The arrangement is not legally binding, in keeping with other working arrangements between Frontex and third countries.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment he has made of whether the requirement for traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate, which was recommended in the risk assessment as a way to deal with “what can cause people real harm”, means that any near miss involving a vehicle, building or other stationary object is not covered by that recommendation.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Health and Safety Executive advises that near misses should not be ignored or treated lightly, as they can provide valuable insight into how well you are managing health and safety in your workplace. All the reported near misses (including those that involve a vehicle, building or other stationary object) have the potential to cause injury or ill health to drivers, those in the vicinity of the incident, or through the creation of another hazard. Their continued occurrence shows the inherent risk of relatively high volumes of construction and other traffic in a mixed-use occupied estate and the importance of a range of mitigations to that risk, including the use where appropriate of traffic marshals.

Parliamentary Estate: Pedestrians and Road Traffic

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his Written Answer on 19 September 2023 (HL9892), what assessment he has made of the accuracy of those figures.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The answer given on 19 September 2023 (HL9892) of circa 3,500 vehicles per week in sitting times and 2,500 in recess reflects the rough average of vehicle movements. As more information has been collected by Strategic Estates, the accuracy of the vehicle movement recording has improved and the more up to date figures give an average of 4,052 vehicles in sitting times and 2,285 in recess.

Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what consideration he has given to the need for traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate during (1) the Easter recess, (2) the summer recess, and (3) the General Election period.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The number of traffic marshals is reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure we have sufficient cover to support ongoing projects. Estate-based colleagues remain on site during most recesses, and it is common for construction work to be undertaken more intensely during recess than in sitting times. In addition, Strategic Estates would consider any opportunity to reduce numbers, for example from 22 December to 2 January 2023 when there were no traffic marshals on the Estate.

Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his remarks on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740), whether any of the 'near misses' referred to occurred within 30 metres of a marshal on duty; and if so, how many marshals would have been within that approximate distance at the time.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The eight near misses I referred to on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740) did not occur within 30 metres of a marshal on duty, with half occurring outside the working hours of the marshals. The near misses demonstrate the inherent risk in a mixed-use occupied estate, even during quieter times of the day or night. They highlight the importance of a range of mitigations to that risk, including the use, where appropriate, the use of traffic marshals.Please see the attached table for further information.Table mentioned. (docx, 24.7KB)

Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his remarks on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740), what are the 8 'near misses' referred to, broken down by (1) date, (2) time, and (3) location; and how many of those incidents involved pedestrians.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Two of the eight near misses referred to involved pedestrians. All of the near misses demonstrate the inherent risk in a mixed-use occupied estate, where it is not possible to segregate pedestrians and traffic, and the importance of a range of mitigations to that risk, including the use, where appropriate, the use of traffic marshals.Please see the attached table for date, time, and location of the near misses.Table mentioned. (docx, 20.7KB)

Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his remarks on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740),whether he has had discussions with the Finance Committee over any possible review of the costs and process of managing the traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Finance Committee considered the use and cost of traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate at its meeting in February. Once agreed, the minutes of that discussion will be available on the Committee’s website.

Department for Business and Trade

Forced Labour: China

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent Human Rights Watch research that suggests several major carmakers could be complicit in abuse of China’s Uyghur Muslims.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: Modern slavery is a barbaric crime which we are determined to stamp out. In 2022, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published its assessment of the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which found that China had carried out "serious human rights violations" against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.The Government's overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions. The Minister for Industry and Economic Security has requested meetings with named manufacturers in the Human Rights Watch report to discuss this issue in more detail.

Nuclear Power: Exports

Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government what support is available to businesses that export British civil nuclear technology, including small modular reactors.

Lord Offord of Garvel: My Department recognises that nuclear technology, including small modular reactors (SMRs), offers a significant UK export opportunity, which could create substantial economic benefits.The Department for Business and Trade is proud to be supporting the sector, including SMR technology companies, and is working closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Ofiice, and across our overseas network, to offer a full range of support for UK exports to responsible nuclear nations.This includes UK Export Finance, who can consider a range of options to support overseas sales, including loan guarantees for foreign buyers, and working capital, insurance and bond support products to assist UK suppliers.

Competition: Unfair Practices

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to combat anti-competitive practices in the consumer products sector, in particular (1) price-fixing, and (2) collusion.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: Price fixing and collusion, in any sector, is illegal under the Competition Act 1998. The Competition and Markets Authority, the “CMA”, is responsible for investigating anti-competitive practices. As an independent authority, the CMA has discretion to investigate competition cases which, according to its prioritisation principles, it considers most appropriate.The Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Bill, currently being considered by Parliament, will update the CMA’s powers to investigate anti-competitive behaviour. This includes powers to interview a broader range of individuals and require the production of information stored remotely when executing a warrant.

Exports

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theunderlying cause of the fall in UK goods exports in 2023, as reported by the Office for National Statistics on 15 February, and what action they are taking to reverse the decline in UK goods exports.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The main causes of the £33 billion decrease (current prices) in goods exports were fuels (predominantly oil) down £24 billion, non-monetary gold and other precious metals down £15 billion, and non-ferrous metals (mainly silver and metals in the platinum group) down £7 billion. Trade in these commodities is known to be very erratic and export values can fluctuate substantially year on year. The Department for Business and Trade are committed to growing exports and will continue to provide businesses with a wealth of export support options on great.gov.uk, including trade advisers, Export Champions, the Export Academy, our International Markets network and UK Export Finance

Cabinet Office

Blood: Contamination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to makeinterim payments to bereaved parents and children as part of the Infected Blood Interim Compensation Payment Scheme.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: First, and most importantly, the suffering of the victims must be recognised. The Government understands that no measures can fully compensate for the losses and hardships that they have suffered. The priority here must be to ensure that victims get the justice they deserve. We are actively looking at the recommendations of the Inquiry, including the recommendation for more interim payments. The Government will respond to the recommendations of the final report following its publication on 20 May.

Department for Education

Schools: Mobile Phones

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of schools in England that already have in place a policy on the use of mobile phones in school time.

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether advice given to schools on the use by pupils of mobile phones in schools is legally enforceable.

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what advice they have provided to schools concerning mobile phone usage in schools by pupils researching subject content during lessons.

Baroness Barran: In response to the Winter 2019 School Snapshot survey, 49% of secondary schools reported that they had a strict policy prohibiting the use of mobile phones and 48% of secondary schools reported they had a policy permitting regulated use of mobile phones. The survey also showed that as many a 76% of primary schools had a strict policy where mobile phones could not be used during the school day with 21% of schools opting out of this question saying that mobile phones were not an issue at their school. Despite this, the department’s omnibus survey found that nearly one third (29%) of secondary school pupils reported that there had been pupils using mobile phones in all or most of their lessons in the past week when they were not supposed to in 2022/23, which is up from 21% in 2021/22.Schools do not legally have to follow the non-statutory guidance but must show that they have given due weight to the guidance in developing their own mobile phone policy. This guidance will set expectations for schools, pupils and parents, while giving headteachers the clarity and autonomy to decide how they can best prohibit the use of mobile phones in a way that will work in their own schools. The department knows that the majority of headteachers already apply some restrictions on the use of mobile phones in their schools. Therefore, this guidance will provide clear advice and support for those headteachers, while demonstrating best practice to others and increasing consistency across all schools. The guidance makes clear that the department backs head teachers to enforce their policy prohibiting the use of mobile phones throughout the school day.Should schools continue to raise issues with prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools, the department will seek to introduce legislation at the earliest opportunity when Parliamentary time allows.The guidance provided in ‘Mobile phones in schools’ clearly sets out that schools should develop a mobile phone policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones. This should include prohibiting the ability to send and/or receive notifications or messages via mobile phone networks or the ability to record audio and/or video throughout the school day, including during lessons.Where schools have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scheme to facilitate the use of laptops or tablets for learning, such devices should be used in accordance with the school’s BYOD policy, as well as Information and Communications Technology acceptable use policy. BYOD policies used to facilitate learning, including researching subject content, should not include mobile phones.

Department for Transport

Pedestrian Areas

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the report commissioned by the Local Government AssociationThe path to inclusive footways, published on 10 February; andwhat steps they are taking to ensure that (1) electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and (2) micromobility parking provision, do not obstruct footways.

Lord Davies of Gower: The Government’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Strategy, published in March 2022, outlined that local authorities are best placed to understand what charging infrastructure is required, and have a key role in ensuring the delivery of chargepoints meets the needs of their areas. The Government and industry sponsored, Publicly Available Standard (PAS) 1899 provides specifications on the placement, design and installation of accessible public EV chargepoints. Cross-pavement cable solutions can be used to channel EV charging wires across the pavement safely. As part of the Plan for Drivers, the Government committed to provide guidance on the use of safe cross-pavement charging solutions, best practice to local authorities on relevant legislation, permissions, and how to consider applications. The Government has extended its e-scooter trials until May 2026 to build on current learning across areas including usage, safety, parking provision and environmental impacts. The Department’s guidance for local authorities and operators taking part in trials sets out that appropriate parking provision should be provided to ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive.

Department for Work and Pensions

Household Support Fund

Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the Household Support Fund beyond 31 March.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The current Household Support Fund runs from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, and the government continues to keep all its existing programmes under review in the usual way. The Government has provided over £2 billion in funding for the Household Support Fund since October 2021.The Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting low-income households. Our approach to tackling poverty is based on clear evidence that employment, particularly where its full time, reduces the risk of poverty. In 2021/22, working age adults living in workless households were seven times more likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than working age adults in households where all adults work.The Government is putting significant additional support in place for those on the lowest incomes from April. Subject to Parliamentary approval, working age benefits will rise by 6.7% while the Basic and New State Pensions will be uprated by 8.5% in line with earnings, as part of the ‘triple lock”. To further support low-income households with increasing rent costs, the Government will raise Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents, benefitting 1.6 million low-income households by on average £800 a year in 24/25. Additionally, the Government will increase the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 years and over by 9.8% to £11.44 representing an increase of over £1,800 to the gross annual earnings of a full-time worker on the National Living Wage.

Universal Credit: Employment

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the requirement under the Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements - limitations) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 that jobseekers claiming Universal Credit must widen their search beyond their preferred sector after four weeks, including the impact on (1) the average salary of former claimants, (2) the percentage of claimants who remain in jobs sixth months and a year after initial employment, (3) the percentage of claimants who subsequently go on to claim sickness benefits, and (4) the percentage of claimants who are sanctioned for not taking a job.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: We have not carried out an assessment of the change to the Permitted Period since it was introduced. The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Willaertia Magna c2c Maky: Regulation

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their position on the regulation ofWillaertia magna c2c makyas an active substance for use in biocidal products of product-type 11, following the European Commission's decision not to approve it.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Willaertia magna C2c maky cannot currently be used in biocidal products within Product Type 11 (Preservatives for liquid-cooling and processing systems) within Great Britain. It is considered to be a new active substance, and there is no existing approval for it. Any new active substance under the Great Britain Biocidal Products Regulation requires an application and a full assessment of its safety and effectiveness before a decision can be reached on whether the substance meets the requirements for approval. Currently there are no applications for approval of this substance within any Product Type in Great Britain.

Ministry of Defence

Ukraine: Military Aid

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the totalfinancial value of military support being provided to Ukraine in 2024/25; and how this figure compares to the amount of support provided in the previous two years.

The Earl of Minto: As announced by the Prime Minister in his visit to Kyiv on 12 January 2024, UK military aid in support of Ukraine during Financial Year 2024-25 will be to the value of £2.5 billion, an increase of £200 million on the previous two years.

Ministry of Justice

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the processes of the single justice procedure as used by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency; and whether such organisations using this procedure are obliged to take into account all evidence submitted in mitigation before proceeding with an individual case.

Lord Bellamy: The Single Justice Procedure (SJP) is used by a number of approved prosecutors, including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). It is a more proportionate way of dealing with straightforward, uncontested, summary-only non-imprisonable offences. The prosecuting body cannot choose this route for any case which falls outside of these criteria. SJP also cannot be used in cases where a defendant pleads not guilty.If entering a guilty plea online or submitting by post, defendants have the option to enter mitigating circumstances alongside their plea, to be considered by the magistrate dealing with their case. Guilty pleas and any entered mitigation are available on the system for the prosecutor to review as soon as the plea is received online or scanned into the system if received by post, however, prosecutors are not required to view this. For any case in the magistrates’ court, there is currently no system functionality to refer all guilty plea cases to the prosecutor before it is referred to a magistrate and there is no legal requirement to do so. This means that, in practice, prosecutors may not see the mitigation.Prosecutorial review of mitigation has never been an aspect of the process for dealing with written guilty pleas; it is not specific to SJP. The system that applied before SJP was that the written guilty plea was sent to court and read out in court. The prosecutor would therefore only hear the mitigation if they chose to attend court. Having prosecutors review mitigation has never been an aspect of the process for dealing with written guilty pleas.The mitigation provided is considered by the magistrate dealing with the case, who is supported by a legal adviser. The mitigation provided sometimes suggests that the prosecution may not be in the public interest; a magistrate can then adjourn the case and ask the prosecutor to review the mitigation provided. Whether the case is referred to the prosecutor to review is a judicial decision. The mitigation provided by defendants is considered by magistrates in the same manner whether the case goes through SJP or is held in open court.At present, the Government has no plans to amend the SJP process.

Prisons: Overcrowding

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, tocombat overcrowding in prisons.

Lord Bellamy: In prisons where there is overcrowding, a rigorous cell certification process ensures that the use of cells is subject to a formal assessment of safety and decency.On 16 October 2023, the Lord Chancellor announced additional, longer-term measures to reform the justice system and continue to address the prison capacity challenges. The measures announced include: extending the Early Removal Scheme, introducing a presumption to suspend sentences of 12 months or less, curtailing the license period for IPP sentences and extending the use of Home Detention Curfew.To meet pressing demand, we are building c.20,000 modern, rehabilitative prison places – the biggest prison build programme since the Victorian era. We have already delivered c.5,900 of these, including through new prisons HMP Five Wells and HMP Fosse Way, and we have been rolling out 1,000 Rapid Deployment Cells across 18 prisons. By the end of 2025, we will have delivered over 10,000 in total.The Government will continue to carefully monitor demand for prison places so that we can make sure we have the right approach in place to maintain the capacity required for a safe and effective criminal justice system.

Treasury

Sanctions: Russia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are taking steps through the Financial Action Task Force against Russia for violating sanctions on North Korea.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: On 23 February, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) expressed its concern about the growing financial connectivity of Russia with countries subject to countermeasures, namely North Korea and Iran, and the potential risks of proliferation financing, malicious cyber activities and ransomware attacks.The UK’s recent joint statement (12 January 2024) is clear that Russia’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles and their use against Ukraine violate multiple UNSCRs. Actively facilitating the circumvention of UNSCR 1718 and violating its prohibitions undermines the global fight against proliferation, the UN sanctions regime, and consequently the financial sanctions requirements of the FATF standards. The UK will continue to call out Russia’s violation of UNSCRs both at the UN and within the FATF.

Food: Prices

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recentdata from the British Retail Consortium which found that food inflation in February was at its lowest rate in almost two years; and what assessment they have made of the impact this will have on consumer confidence.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Consumer confidence has strengthened considerably over the past year. The February 2024 release indicated that consumer confidence was 17 points stronger than in February 2023. Consumer confidence is intrinsically linked to inflation, household finances and the broader economic outlook. To sustain consumer confidence, consumers need to feel assured that their government is taking the long-term decisions necessary to strengthen the economy and build a brighter future. The plan is working, headline inflation has fallen from 11.1% to 4.0%. The Government notes the recent data from the British Retail Consortium.

Mortgages

Lord Reid of Cardowan: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken an impactassessment on the effects ofany scheme to provide 99 per cent mortgages on the housing market.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government does not comment on theoretical schemes but continues to keep policy under review. The Government remains committed to supporting people of all incomes and at all stages of life in order to make the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible.

Wealth

Lord Kamall: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the changes to the tax thresholds for Financial Promotion exemption, especially the impact on female-led start-ups, including those who rely on small investments from female angel-investors.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The changes to the financial promotion exemptions that came into force on 31 January 2024 were subject to a public consultation which closed in March 2022.However, the Government recognises the significant concerns that have been raised recently about these changes. The Economic Secretary met recently with the angel investing sector and listened carefully to the representations made, and the Government is working closely with the sector to address the concerns raised.

Inflation: Consumers

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the impact of high inflation on consumers.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The government has delivered on the Prime Minister’s pledge to halve inflation, which is has fallen from 11.1% to 4.0%. The Bank of England’s latest forecast expects inflation to return to target in Q2 2024.Over the last two years, the Government has provided one of the largest support packages in Europe. Taken together, total support over 2022-25 to help households with the high cost of living will be £104 billion – an average of £3,700 per UK household. This has helped to protect households, and the economy, from the impact of high inflation. High inflation holds back growth, which is why alongside remaining steadfast in support for the independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England, as it acts to return inflation sustainably to the 2% target, the government has taken tough decisions to keep borrowing under control and introduced ambitious supply-side measures to support non-inflationary growth, including delivering full expensing and boosting the labour supply

Mortgages

Lord Reid of Cardowan: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a scheme providing for 99 per cent mortgages.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government does not comment on theoretical schemes but continues to keep policy under review. The Government remains committed to supporting people of all incomes and at all stages of life in order to make the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible.

Economic Growth and Productivity

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote economic growth and productivity whilst supporting monetary policy objectives.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The government has pursued an ambitious policy agenda to boost growth and productivity whilst maintaining fiscal discipline to avoid adding to inflation. High inflation is not conducive to growth, so the government is continuing to support the independent Monetary Policy Committee as it acts to return inflation to the 2% target.The Government is promoting growth and productivity through:The new £2.5bn Back to Work Plan will expand employment support for the long-term sick and disabled, and the long-term unemployed.Making Full Expensing permanent ensuring we have one of the most generous capital allowances regimes in the world;Removing barriers to investment in critical infrastructure by reforming our inefficient planning system; andMaking £4.5bn available for strategic manufacturing sectors over the five years to 2030.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Drax Power Station: Timber

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of claims that Drax Power Station is burning wood from rare forests in Canada; and whether such behaviour is consistent with the terms of the environmental subsidies provided to it.

Lord Callanan: The Government only supports sustainable biomass and generators only receive subsidies for biomass that complies with strict sustainability criteria. We take reports of non-compliance very seriously and regularly engage with our regulator, Ofgem, to ensure that our strict sustainability criteria are being adhered to.

Nuclear Power: Sellafield

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reconsider the commitment in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's command paper, Civil Nuclear Roadmap to 2050, published in January, "not to support the use of plutonium stored at Sellafield by Advanced Nuclear Technologies".

Lord Callanan: The Government confirmed in the Civil Nuclear Roadmap that the UK will not support the use of plutonium stored at Sellafield by advanced nuclear technologies, whilst high hazard risk reduction activities are prioritised at site. The Government has no plans to reconsider this commitment.